In recent years, data of contents can be easily copied owing to the spread of a recordable memory medium such as CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) or CD-RW (Compact Disc ReWritable). A service such that music data is distributed onto a network has been started to spread owing to the development of the network. Therefore, it is becoming an important issue to protect a copyright holder by restricting copy and reproduction of contents data such as audio data.
Hitherto, an SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) has been used as copyright management information for protecting audio data. In the SCMS, “copy freely”/“copy never” and “copy one generation” can be managed. However, if only the SCMS is used, only simple copyright management such that an illegal copy is merely prevented can be made.
Therefore, copyright management information in a complicated format such that restriction of the number of copies, restriction of the number of reproducing times, restriction of a reproducing time, charge, or the like can be performed is necessary. If the copyright management information such that the restriction of the number of copies, the restriction of the number of reproducing times, the restriction of a reproducing time, the charge, or the like can be performed is used, a music piece can be reproduced only the predetermined number of times or only for a predetermined period of time in order to be monitored. It is possible to execute services in various forms such that if the music piece is charged for, the music piece can be always listened to, the music piece is charged for in accordance with the number of reproducing times or a reproducing time, and the like.
If such services are started, it is necessary to encrypt the contents data so as to enable desired music pieces among music pieces stored in a memory medium to be listened to the predetermined number of reproducing times or for a predetermined period of time or enable only the user who has been charged to listen to the music pieces. It is also necessary to encrypt the contents data in order to prevent an illegal copy from being frequently performed. For this purpose, key information to decrypt the encryption is necessary.
As mentioned above, in case of selling or distributing the contents data such as audio data, the copyright management information and the key information which is used for decrypting the encryption are necessary. Since the copyright management information or key information has a size of at most about 256 kbits, it hardly becomes a burden on a memory capacity. However, it is necessary to take security into consideration lest the copyright management information or key information leaks to the outside or is easily rewritten.
If the copyright management information and the key information which is used for decrypting the encryption are inserted into a main data area together with the contents data, a data capacity for which the contents data can be recorded is reduced by an amount corresponding thereto, and there is also a possibility that the copyright management information or the encryption information leaks to the outside and is rewritten, so that there is a problem on the security.
In the case where the memory medium is, for example, a CD, there is a method whereby the copyright management information or the encryption information is inserted into a subcode. However, defined information has already been inserted in the subcode. There is also a case where data of the subcode is rewritten each time the disc is edited.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide recording apparatus and method, reproducing apparatus and method, and a memory medium storage, in which copyright information and key information can be safely stored and they do not become a burden on a data capacity.